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Tips for Fighting Nausea During Pregnancy

Ways to Ease Morning Sickness

Whoever termed the phrase “morning sickness” was an evil evil little man! I seriously wish there really was a such thing as morning sickness…I would totally welcome it with open arms during the first trimester of pregnancy! Because the idea behind “morning sickness” is that it only lasts during the morning and once you get past that tidal wave of nausea and possible vomiting in the morning then you can feel like a normal human being during the rest of the day. I would totally throw up for a few hours if I felt normal the rest of the day!

Unfortunately that is not how nausea works during those first few weeks of growing a beautiful new life….in fact there’s not a whole lot of beauty going on in those first weeks….except for those lucky women who make it through the first trimester barely noticing they’re pregnant…unfortunately, I am not one of these lucky souls! And if you’re not one of those lucky souls either then you’ll want to continue reading along for my tips for fighting nausea during pregnancy.

1. Carbs are your friend!

If nausea is attacking you it’s most likely from the acids in your stomach which are increased with all the extra hormones pumping through your body. Plain toast, saltine crackers, rice, mashed potatoes, plain noodles, and dry cereal will all help absorb those acids so you’ll feel better. I always keep a sleeve of crackers in my bag and on my night stand– that way I can start nibbling the minute I start to feel any pangs. And those little 100 Calorie snack packs are great for having on the go! I would keep the shortbread cookie and animal cracker ones in my bag ALL the time!

2. Empty stomach is your enemy!

Do NOT under any circumstances let your stomach get empty! It’s kind of the opposite of gremlins….don’t feed it after midnight and you’ll be fighting a monster! Now I’m not saying load up on empty calories and junk food…just make sure you’re eating and snacking throughout the day. This helps keep those stomach acids at bay. Even if your don’t feel like eating anything, if you’re feeling nauseous, force yourself to eat some crackers– you’ll feel better! For late night snacks I’ll usually grab a muffin, bagel, carrots with some dressing, a bowl of oatmeal…something relatively hearty so it will stay on my stomach throughout the night.

3. Try a new prenatal vitamin.

Talk to your doctor about different prenatals available…usually the office will have several types of samples you can try. Get at least 1 week’s worth and try different vitamins. When I switched to Prefera OB plus DHA I noticed a HUGE difference in the way I felt! My doctor said it’s because of the combination of vitamins, B6, and plant based DHA vs. fish based DHA. When one prenatal works perfectly for one woman it doesn’t for another. I think I went through 3 different prenatals with Little Man before finding the right one. And do your research….make sure your prenatal vitamins have all the nutrients you and baby need– and always discuss this with your doctor.

4. Sea-Bands!!!!

Sea-bands saved my life with Little Man!!! The idea behind Sea-bands is that they apply pressure to an acupuncture spot on your wrist that helps with nausea from motion sickness….many people use these for cruises and on boats…hence the name Sea-band. Anytime I would feel the nausea start I would gently rub the Sea-band further into my arm and relief would arrive within seconds. Although, I do warn that you take them off at night to give your wrists a rest…I wore them so much during my first trimester that little blisters formed under the “ball” that provides the acupuncture support. Unfortunately, they’re not working the same with this pregnancy….darn every pregnancy being different!! But at about $10 a pair they are definitely worth the investment to try!

5. Drink plenty of water!

Drinking more than 8 glasses of water a day is crucial in the first trimester. Water really helps in regulating your blood sugar and keeping you hydrated which will help with the nausea! Anytime I start to feel a bit queasy I just get a nice big glass of ice cold water to drink….and some crackers to go with it. 😉 If you can’t keep down water then try some decaf iced tea– it’s a little gentler on your stomach and you’re still getting the hydration you need with some good antioxidants.

6. Preggie Pop Drops

These things are AWESOME! They are packed full of vitamins and nutrients so they’re really good for you AND they help combat nausea too! Preggie Pop Drops are all-natural and drug free. They are even great to have during labor (since you’re not allowed to eat anything) to combat dry mouth and give a little energy kick!

7. SLEEP! SLEEP! SLEEP!

The best medicine for nausea is sleep! When I have the chance I just sleep right through it…it’s probably the chicken way out but I’d rather sleep than get sick. Plus, you’re body is creating not just a baby right now but the placenta too which takes a LOT of energy. So, if you have the ability to just sleep I say go for it!

Photo Attribution: Evil Erin via Flickr

8. Chewing Gum

Believe it or not I found that chewing mint gum really helped with the nausea. Anytime I would start to feel a little queasy I would just pop in a piece of gum….but don’t chew it too long….once it lost it’s flavor it would make me gag! So I would just chew it long enough to get the nausea fighting benefits of the mint and then spit it out.

9. Ginger

Ginger is a natural way to calm an upset stomach and squelch that nausea feeling. Some people swear by taking it in pill form but that didn’t work so well with me– but I have major issues swallowing pills anyway and while pregnant it’s even worse! So I would sip on ginger ale or chew on ginger candies and gum.

When I was pregnant with Little Man- Hubs and I went to a wedding in Miami. Well wouldn’t you know, the nausea set in on the flight down there and we weren’t telling anyone we were expecting yet. So, since this wedding was a BIG Bash in one of the top 10 party cities in the world I pulled a “Thank you Linus” (it was soooo my idea before How I Met Your Mother used it for Lily!). I asked the bartender to only serve me ginger ale in a rocks glass no matter what drink I asked for….and just like Linus did for Lily my bartender did for me! No one had a clue and I kept the nausea at bay all weekend!

10. Give in and throw up!

If you have the urge to really throw up…..DO IT! Whenever the nausea got so bad that I just HAD to run to the bathroom I would feel sooooooo much better afterwards! I can’t stand the feeling like crap all day long…if I can get it out of my system and move on with my day then I will.

What has helped you fight nausea during pregnancy? Share your secrets below in the comments!

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Melissa is a busy mom trying to survive the preschool years. She loves a good Pinot Grigio and cuddling up on the couch for the latest super hero movie. Her kids enjoy getting in the kitchen and helping make a mess trying new recipes! Even though she's constantly creating new and delicious treats she usually winds up buying grocery store treats when it's time for her to take snacks for school-- at all of the teachers' dismay.

14 Comments

Amanda
on August 21, 2016 at 6:13 pm

I love his article. The only thing I would suggest is hat you please removing your comment about not being allowed to eat during pregnancy. More and more practitioners are recommending eating through labor AND a woman should never be told she is not “allowed” to have a choice regarding her birth experience. This ideology is outdated and harming women.

It’s so strange, I’m in my first trimester with my first child .. and everything I crave is something I CANT keep down haha so I’m doing trial and error. My morning sickness also varies too, one day I won’t get sick once and another day I can’t stay out of the tolit. I do believe the crackers first thing when I wake up helps some .. and past 2 days I’ve been sleeping in and that seems to help as well.

This is my third pregnancy and the first one to cause me all day nausea. I have tried the hard ginger candies and the gum…and crackers and ginger ale but the thought of all of those tricks just seemed to make my nausea worse. I finally broke down and bought the wrist bands the other day. WHERE WERE THESE with the last two?! You are so right, they definitely do the trick. I do have to press on the pressure point every now and then but I don’t even care if I look like I”m sweating to the oldies, they are a godsend.

I’ve found that keeping my stomach full (as you suggested) definitely helps. I also just have to eat whatever it is I’m craving. Now I’m onto fruit cups (the chopped fruit in liquid) and usually have one of those right when I get up. I’m 10 weeks today, and I actually threw up for the first time today. Ughhhh but I felt a lot better after! At least I was at home when it happened. 2nd trimester is so close!

Thank you soooo much for this list, it is way more helpful than some of the others I’ve read. I had my suspicions on a few of the points you make, but your explanations make a lot more sense than what I was thinking in my head. I have been surviving on plain bagels for a few days now. I’m really trying to eat fruits too, but sometimes two or three bites of a banana is all I can handle. I’m hoping this only lasts a few more days… anyway, thanks again.

It’s so funny how we all crave different things during pregnancy! Yes, I did try to follow my cravings….I couldn’t get enough watermelon….especially when I was so sick…I’d hear watermelon and would want a whole bowl!

First trimester? Can last until delivery. I never did find a prenatal I could keep down. I think I took kids’ gummi bears… There are drugs you can take that help a lot. Just don’t beat yourself up for not doing things “right.” Also, no one wants to hear about it, including many doctors.

My addition to the list is to rinse your mouth thoroughly every time you throw up for the sake of your teeth. Also, avoid clothes that are tight around the waist. The suggestions for people with reflux are applicable here.

If you do become dehydrated, the bliss of IV fluids cannot be understated.